How to manage children with externalized behavior problems ? Effectiveness of a parent-implemented language intervention
(2014) International Association for the Study of Child Language — Location: Amsterdam (21.July.2014)
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- Previous researches showed that externalized behavior problems and language delays are frequently associated on preschoolers (Kaiser, Hancock, Cai, Foster, & Hester, 2000). The present study aimed to test the hypothesis that this association could be intensified by a common risk factor: a dysfunction in parent/child interactions. In order to answer this question, the effectiveness of a parent-implemented language intervention was evaluated both in parent/preschooler interactions and behavioral characteristics. Forty-one children from 3 to 5 year-old, whose parents reported difficulties to manage behaviour, were recruited in Belgium and were allocated to control (N=24) or experimental groups (N=17). Parents from experimental group participated to a naturalistic program in order to promote parent/child verbal interactions (8 sessions of two hours). During the pretest and the posttest, an experimenter assessed child language while parent filled questionnaires. Finally a sample of parent/child interactions was videotaped (free play and frustration task). All language samples in free play were transcribed and analysed. Furthermore, parent/child interactions were evaluated followed the Crowell procedure (Crowell & Feldman, 1988) : parent’s responsiveness and positive affects, child’s perseverance and enthusiasm for the task. The results revealed that after the intervention, modifications of parent/child communication appeared: children increased their number of turn-takings, parent/child turn-taking ratio became more equilibrate and parents increased repetitions of child utterances. Furthermore, after this intervention, the quality of parent/child interactions was enhanced. Firstly, parents from the experimental group became more affective and responsive, and secondly, children became more perseverant and enthusiastic for the tasks. Our results imply that parent/child communication features and parent behavioural and emotional responsiveness can be improved after a parent-implemented language intervention. These modifications created an enhancement of child’s engagement, which played an important role on language and cognitive development (Kim & Mahoney, 2004). Moreover, further analysis will be realized to assess efficiency of the intervention on child behavioural characteristics (analysis of questionnaires and frustration task).
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Brassart, E., & Schelstraete, M.-A. (2014). How to manage children with externalized behavior problems ? Effectiveness of a parent-implemented language intervention. International Association for the Study of Child Language, Amsterdam. https://hdl.handle.net/2078.5/196352